[OrchidJulie]

One little Oh-BTW for focus help in OVF -- make sure the finder's diopter is properly adjusted. I can set my specs aside and actually see through the OVF. Makes a big difference focusing.

Just my 0.02

[January]

To keep track of the various apply all settings needed you can add a label inside the lens cap that reminds you which lens is at what correction. Just make sure the lens name is included so you don’t mix the caps up. Lol.

Interestingly, all my manual lenses I checked until now appear to require the same error correction. This is what still puzzles me.

[UncleVanya]

Interestingly, all my manual lenses I checked until now appear to require the same error correction. This is what still puzzles me.

Not all have that experience. But I would anticipate it being more common.

[pschlute]

Interestingly, all my manual lenses I checked until now appear to require the same error correction. This is what still puzzles me.

Does not puzzle me.

It would puzzle me if it that were not the case.

ps...it is not the lenses that need correction....it is the camera.

[January]

ps...it is not the lenses that need correction....it is the camera.

I would think that... if the AF lenses also needed this correction. Which they don't, apparently. They focus just fine as far as I can tell. But yes, I will service the camera again.

[pschlute]

I would think that... if the AF lenses also needed this correction. Which they don't, apparently. They focus just fine as far as I can tell. But yes, I will service the camera again.

Servicing the camera is not necessary, How much APPLY ALL adjustment do your manual lenses need for focus to be spot on ?

[Jonathan Mac]

Thank you very much! Which mirrorless camera do you use or would recommend? I did not find anything with a viewfinder within my price range, and I would prefer to have a viewfinder. Back screen is often not usable (in bright light, for example) and inconvenient if you need reading glasses.

There is one solution that I found works quite acceptably on my Olympus Pen (which lacks a viewfinder), which is a magnifier, a sort of plastic cone with a lens and a viewfinder which I magnetically attach to the screen on the back. A bit cumbersome at times, but very convenient at others. After having read yours and other replies I am considering getting one for my K30 as well.

I currently use a Panasonic Lumix S5 and it is truly wonderful for old manual focus lenses. Before that, and I still have and use it, I used a Fujifilm X-T20 which I bought used. The S5 is better for various reasons but mainly it allows greater magnification and therefore sensitivity. It's full-frame though, much bigger and more expensive than the Fujifilm, and so I don't think it's what you're looking for. Fujifilm X-T20s and X-T10s can be bought used at very good prices and then all you need is a cheap K to FX adapter.

LV manual focussing works great with Pentax cameras...same benefit as mirrorless but without the drawbacks.

It doesn't work great on my K-3 - it doesn't give nearly enough detail to allow precise manual focus and I can usually do at least as well with the OVF, using LV only when the camera position or angle makes using the viewfinder difficult.

[pschlute]

It doesn't work great on my K-3 - it doesn't give nearly enough detail to allow precise manual focus and I can usually do at least as well with the OVF, using LV only when the camera position or angle makes using the viewfinder difficult.

Try zooming the LV screen to 100%. You will never have an OOF image again

This is usually accomplished by pressing the OK button, although I cannot remember exactly if it has to set up in the menu first.

[January]

Servicing the camera is not necessary, How much APPLY ALL adjustment do your manual lenses need for focus to be spot on ?

I need to put it on max (-10) in order to get sharp pictures (like the bird in the photograph above). I measured it using a tripod and a setup involving an angled lineal and a vertical target and doing multiple measurements such that I could record variation.

I was going to service the camera anyway - the sensor needs cleaning, and after having seen what amateurs can do to their cameras when trying to clean the sensor, I think it is better to stick to professional help. Do you think it is a good idea to clean the sensor yourself? I am really worried about messing it up.

[vonBaloney]

I need to put it on max (-10) in order to get sharp pictures (like the bird in the photograph above). I measured it using a tripod and a setup involving an angled lineal and a vertical target and doing multiple measurements such that I could record variation.

I was going to service the camera anyway - the sensor needs cleaning, and after having seen what amateurs can do to their cameras when trying to clean the sensor, I think it is better to stick to professional help. Do you think it is a good idea to clean the sensor yourself? I am really worried about messing it up.

You can load the debug mode ROM onto an SD card that will allow you to globally change the AF adjustment. You do have to be careful what you're doing with that, but servicing takes time and money and it isn't too hard to do yourself in a few minutes if you're up to it.

[January]

You can load the debug mode ROM onto an SD card that will allow you to globally change the AF adjustment. You do have to be careful what you're doing with that, but servicing takes time and money and it isn't too hard to do yourself in a few minutes if you're up to it.

Do I understand that correctly - calibrating the AF in K30 is a software only operation, no mechanical adjustment necessary?

Well, I am not averse of doing such things, I have repaired laptops and lenses several times, I am known to hold a soldiering iron occasionally, and I have quite some IT knowledge (it being my job, more or less) but I tend to approach these things methodically. I know too little of how the AF in K30 works internally, so I would not attempt it without a good manual. Would you recommend any reading for me?

[vonBaloney]

Do I understand that correctly - calibrating the AF in K30 is a software only operation, no mechanical adjustment necessary?

Well, I am not averse of doing such things, I have repaired laptops and lenses several times, I am known to hold a soldiering iron occasionally, and I have quite some IT knowledge (it being my job, more or less) but I tend to approach these things methodically. I know too little of how the AF in K30 works internally, so I would not attempt it without a good manual. Would you recommend any reading for me?

Yes, see these threads:

Files collection to enter Debug Mode - PentaxForums.com

Pentax K-30 Mod-Set - PentaxForums.com (don't know if this one is different than the one posted in above thread)

I've done it with the KP -- basically you can adjust the center point of the AF adjustment globally (the scale isn't the same as it is on the menu though, so you have to experiment a bit, and just keep track of what you've done if you want to reverse it). So what used to be -10 could be -5 or 0 giving you extra room to dial-in adjustments from the normal menu (or if a single global adjustment would work, you can just get that set in as the default). That's just one function of the debug mode -- it's basically the service menu. Don't touch anything else, risk is yours, etc etc. Check out those threads to get the file you need for your model and do some googling and maybe some other threads here -- a few people have described the process. (There might be a video somewhere on youtube as well.)

[January]

Yes, see these threads

In the meanwhile, I have downloaded the K-30 service manual. After reading it, I don't think calibrating the camera is as simple as that. Changing the global AFFA from the debug menu might be possible, but that is a far cry from actually calibrating the AF.

[vonBaloney]

In the meanwhile, I have downloaded the K-30 service manual. After reading it, I don't think calibrating the camera is as simple as that. Changing the global AFFA from the debug menu might be possible, but that is a far cry from actually calibrating the AF.

Unless there is actually some mechanical problem, I think that is all the service people are going to do. Except you'll have to pay a hefty fee and be without your camera for a while. Again, it is totally reversible -- you're just adjusting a setting. If you aren't comfortable doing that or not satisfied with the result, then send it in. (Although many times people seem to get their cameras back and nothing has seemingly changed. Just a lot of frustration that maybe can be avoided.)

[pschlute]

After reading it, I don't think calibrating the camera is as simple as that. Changing the global AFFA from the debug menu might be possible, but that is a far cry from actually calibrating the AF.

If your camera works fine with an adjustment of -/+10 then why send it in ?